The First Digital Examinations for the Intermediate Level

Pursuant to the Board of Directors' decision to begin automating the Society's examinations, a committee was formed from Board members, with others of relevant expertise tasked to study the requirements and systems needed to implement this ambitious request.

The committee submitted its report stating that it was appropriate to hold the examinations digitally and to identify the necessary software for that, including the specified controls for accessing this software and the electronic protection of the examinations, answers, and results. The committee also recommended holding the examinations in the laboratories of the Ain Shams Faculty of Medicine, given that they are equipped with the devices and software agreed to be used. The committee considered it best to limit the digital examinations to the intermediate level only, while continuing to use the usual method of paper-based examinations for the essay questions.

All the details and procedures that provide a suitable environment for the Society's members during the examinations were negotiated with Ain Shams University. A trial examination was also held on the university campus for the intermediate-level candidates, with the aim of confirming that the arrangements agreed upon with the university were working correctly, addressing any shortcomings that might become apparent to the committee, and providing the candidates with some practical experience of the format of the examination, the nature of the questions, and how to answer them. This trial was effectively successful.

After preparing the question bank for the intermediate-level examinations and arranging with the officials of Ain Shams University, Faculty of Medicine, to hold the intermediate-level examinations in the university's laboratories, the Egyptian Society of Accountants & Auditors (ESAA) organized its first experience of digital examinations inside the computer laboratories in the Malaysian building of the Ain Shams University Faculty of Medicine, in order to conduct the intermediate-level examinations during the period from Saturday, 17 to Wednesday, 22 November 2022.

The Board of Directors, the Examinations Committee, and the Digital Examinations Development Committee extended their thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of the Society's intermediate-level examinations.